This invention relates to the field of ladders for use primarily by firefighters, and in particular to that portion of the field which pertains to ladders used on pitched roof of buildings wherein a working space between the side rails is needed to perform a particular task, such as cutting a hole of a preferred size through the roof of a burning building.
Ladders presently used for this purpose are of the conventional type, having completely rigid and fixed side rails which are spaced apart substantially the same distance throughout the length of the ladder. The upper portion of the ladder is therefore relatively narrow with very little space between the rails for a firefighter to work with an axe in order to chop a hole through the roof of the burning building. To make a hole of the recommended size, which should be about three by five feet in accordance with good firefighting practice, it is necessary for the firefighter on a conventional ladder to reach to one or both sides of the ladder to widen the hole sufficiently to reach the recommended size. This can be awkward as well as dangerous.
The present invention solves this problem by providing a ladder whose upper rail portion includes two hinged sections of each side rail, the first hinged sections being pivotable outwardly from their respective lower side rail portions, the second hinged section then being pivotable upwardly, thereby providing a widened space between the upper portion of the side rails. The firefighter can more easily use his axe to chop a hole of the desired size in the roof of the burning building between the spread apart upper portion of the ladder in accordance with this invention. The upper free ends of the second hinged sections include hooks to hook over the peak of the roof, or other convenient anchor place for the hooks to hook on to and hold the ladder in place on the pitched roof.
The upper free ends of the second hinged sections also include anchor bolts to secure respective ends of a rope used as a lifeline by the firefighter, who has such rope secured to himself to prevent a fall in the event he should slip off of the ladder. The first hinged sections extend outwardly from their respective lower side rail portions at a ninety degree angle to thereby provide a substantially horizontal platform for the firefighter to stand on as he works to make the desired hole through the roof. These horizontally extending hinged sections may each have a second length of rail extending parallel thereto and connected by hinge members whereby these second lengths of rail may be pivoted from a one-over-the-other position to a side-by-side position thereby providing a wider platform for the firefighter to stand on.